What to look for in a College of Beauty Therapy

So you would like a career in Beauty Therapy? The choice of training is wide, and perhaps confusing.

If you, or your parents are about to invest a significant sum in your future, you will all need to be satisfied that your money will be well spent.

From simple beginnings, the role of the beauty therapist has, over the past two decades, expanded to encompass a vast array of new treatments within the area of general health & wellness, along side its traditional beauty treatments. These new modern technologies and scientific treatments require first class training to the very highest standards.

The stardards within beauty schools vary a great deal and accreditation has been withdrawn from several schools because of their failure to maintain the required standards. Several guidelines can be used to help judge the quality of a school:

• personal recommendation
• freedom to visit the school whist in session
• International recognition

 

Questions you should be asking before deciding on your training college


The College

• What is the success rate in examinations?
• By which examination boards is the school recognised?
• What are the exact tuition hours?
• Has the school passed its probationary year?

 

Qualifications

Ensure that the syllabus leads to a diploma awarded by a recognised external examination body such as CIDESCO, ITEC, CIBTAC, BAE.

Even then, many employers will place as much importance on the school, as on the qualifications achieved.

Diplomas specify your attainment: the school indicates the way you were taught.

 

Breadth of Course and Practicalities

Is it all classwork? Check whether the tuition includes field trips, visits to trade and professional exhibitions, outside lectures etc.

If you intend to use residential accommodation, find out how far it is from the school. Consider your travel costs and the convenience of public transport.

As for the tutor-student ratio. Ask how many classrooms there are, and ask to see them. Ideally the school will have:

• Two practical rooms with seperate facilities for beauty and body training
• A large visible presence of assorted equipment with a high ratio of machines to beds.
• Hot & Cold running water in each practical room plus a shower facility in the Body room.
• A seperate theory room with audio visual facilities.
• Adequate locker facilities for students.

Gather impressions from the current students, if possible - even talk to them. Do they look smart, interested and purposeful?